OET-RV 1 MAC Chapter 9

9 Demetrios heard that Nikanor had fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bakides and Alkimos again into Yehudah (Judah) a second time, and the right wing of his army with them. 2 They went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and took possession of it, and killed many people. 3 The first month of the one hundred and fifty-second year,[fn] they encamped against Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 4 Then they marched away and went to Beroia with twenty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry. 5 Yehudah was encamped at Elasa with three thousand chosen men. 6 They saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they were terrified. Many slipped away out of the army. There weren’t left of them more than eight hundred men.

7 Yehudah saw that his army slipped away and that the battle pressed on him, and he was very troubled in spirit, because he had no time to gather them together, and he became faint. 8 He said to those who were left, “Let’s arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.”

9 They tried to dissuade him, saying, “There’s no way we’re able; but let’s rather save our lives now. Let’s return again with our kindred, and fight against them; but we’re too few.”

10 Yehudah said, “Let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them. If our time has come, let’s die in a manly way for our kindred’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our honour.”

11 The army marched out from the camp, and stood to encounter them. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the army, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle. 12 Bakides was in the right wing. The phalanx advanced on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets. 13 The men by Yehudah’ side sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening.

14 Yehudah saw that Bakides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and all that were brave in heart went with him, 15 and the right wing was defeated by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotos. 16 Those who were on the left wing saw that the right wing was defeated, and they turned and followed in the footsteps of Yehudah and of those who were with him. 17 The battle became desperate, and many on both sides fell wounded to death. 18 Yehudah fell, and the rest fled.

19 Yonatan (Jonathan) and Shim’on (Simon) took Yehudah their brother, and buried him in the tomb of his ancestors at Modi’in. 20 They wept for him. All Yisrael made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said, 21 “How is the mighty fallen, the saviour of Yisrael!” 22 The rest of the acts of Yehudah, and his wars, and the valiant actions which he did, and his greatness, aren’t written; for they were very many.

23 After Yehudah’s death, the lawless emerged within all the borders of Yisrael (Israel). All those who did iniquity rose up. 24 In those days there was a very great famine, and the country went over to their side. 25 Bakides chose the ungodly men and made them rulers of the country. 26 They enquired and searched for Yehudah’s friends, and brought them to Bakides, and he took vengeance on them and used them despitefully. 27 There was great suffering in Yisrael, such as wasn’t since the time prophets stopped appearing to them.

28 All Yehudah’s friends were gathered together, and they said to Yonatan (Jonathan), 29 “Since your brother Yehudah has died, we have no man like him to go out against our enemies and Bakides, and among those of our nation who hate us. 30 Now therefore we’ve chosen you this day to be our prince and leader in his place, that you may fight our battles.” 31 So Yonatan took the governance on him at that time, and rose up in the place of his brother Yehudah.

32 When Bakides found out, he tried to kill him. 33 Yonatan, and Shim’on (Simon) his brother, and all who were with him, knew it; and they fled into the Tekoa wilderness, and encamped by the water of the Asphar pool. 34 Bakides found that out on the Sabbath day, and came—he and all his army—over the Yarden (Jordan).

35 Yonatan sent his brother, a leader of the multitude, and implored his friends the Nabataeans, that they might store their baggage, which was much, with them. 36 The children of Jambri came out of Meydeva, and seized Yohan (John) and all that he had, and went their way with it.

37 But after those things, they brought word to Yonatan and Shim’on his brother that the children of Jambri were celebrating a great wedding, and were bringing the bride, a daughter of one of the important leading citizens of Kena’an (Canaan), from Nadabath with a large escort. 38 They remembered Yohan their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under the cover of the mountain. 39 They lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a great procession with much baggage. The bridegroom came out with his friends and his kindred to meet them with timbrels, musicians, and many weapons. 40 They rose up against them from their ambush and killed them, and many fell wounded to death. The remnant fled into the mountain, and the Yehudim (Jews) took all their spoils. 41 So the wedding was turned into mourning, and the voice of their musicians into lamentation. 42 They avenged fully their brother’s blood, and turned back to the marshes of the Yarden.

43 Bakides heard it, and he came on the Sabbath day to the banks of Yarden (Jordan) with a great army. 44 Yonatan said to his company, “Let’s stand up now and fight for our lives, for things are different today than they were yesterday and the day before. 45 Because the battle is before us and behind us. Moreover the water of the Yarden is on this side and on that side, and marsh and thicket. There’s no place to escape. 46 Now therefore cry to heaven, that you may be delivered out of your enemies’ hand.” 47 So the battle was joined, and Yonatan stretched out his hand to strike Bakides, and he turned away back from him. 48 Yonatan and those who were with him leapt into the Yarden, and swam over to the other side. The enemy didn’t pass over the Yarden against them. 49 About a thousand men of Bakides’ company fell that day; 50 and he returned to Yerushalem (Jerusalem). They built strong cities in Yehudah (Judea), the fortress that was in Yeriho (Jericho), and Emmaous, Beyt-Horon, Beyt-El (Bethel), Timnah, Pireaton, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars. 51 He set garrisons in them to harass Yisrael (Israel). 52 He fortified the city Beyt-Tsur, Gezer, and the citadel, and put troops and stores of food in them. 53 He took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them under guard in the citadel at Yerushalem.

54 And in the one hundred and fifty-third year,[fn] in the second month, Alkimos gave orders to pull down the wall of the inner courtyard of the sanctuary. He also pulled down the works of the prophets. 55 He began to pull down. At that time was Alkimos stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give orders about his house. 56 Alkimos died at that time with great torment. 57 Bakides saw that Alkimos was dead, and he returned to the king. Then Yehudah had rest for two years.

58 Then all the lawless men took counsel, saying, “Listen, Yonatan (Jonathan) and his men are living at ease and in security. Now therefore we’ll bring Bakides, and he’ll capture them all in one night. 59 They went and consulted with him. 60 He marched out and came with a great army, and sent letters secretly to all his allies who were in Yehudah, that they should seize Yonatan and those who were with him; but they couldn’t, because their plan was known to them. 61 Yonatan’s men seized about fifty of the men of the country who were authors of the wickedness, and he killed them. 62 Yonatan, Shim’on, and those who were with him, went away to Beyt-Basi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down, and they made it strong. 63 Bakides found out about it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent orders to those who were of Yehudah. 64 He went and encamped against Beyt-Basi and fought against it many days, and made engines of war.

65 Yonatan left his brother Shim’on (Simon) in the city, and went out into the country, and he went with a few men. 66 He struck Odomera and his kindred, and the children of Phasiron in their tents. 67 They began to strike them, and to go up with their forces. Then Shim’on and those who were with him went out of the city, and set the engines of war on fire, 68 and fought against Bakides, and he was defeated by them. They afflicted him severely; for his counsel and expedition was in vain. 69 They were very angry with the lawless men who gave him counsel to come into the country, and they killed many of them. Then he decided to depart into his own land.

70 Yonatan learnt of that and sent ambassadors to him, to the end that they should make peace with him, and that he should restore to them the captives. 71 He accepted the thing, and did according to his words, and swore to him that he wouldn’t seek his harm all the days of his life. 72 He restored to him the captives which he’d taken before out of Yehudah (Judah), and he returned and departed into his own land, and didn’t come any more into their borders. 73 Thus the sword ceased from Yisrael (Israel). Yonatan lived at Mikmas. Yonatan began to judge the people; and he destroyed the ungodly out of Yisrael.